Scuba Diving - advice please.

nicolaou

I have my final dives this weekend to qualify as an Open Water Scuba Diver. I have to admit I'm nervous so if anyone here has passed can you let me know what to expect?

All tips would be appreciated.

Nic'

Stephanus

Scuba Diving - advice please.

Don't forget to come up again!

Uzzah

Surprisingly I found that removing my mask underwater and replacing it to be toughest part. Altho I had the reg in my mouth I was afraid to breathe in out of fear of water coming in my nose.

I started to freak and bolt to the surface, when the dive master grabbed me, signalled calm down and reached over and plugged my nose. I took a breath or two, replaced and cleared the mask. It would have been hilarious to tape, him just reaching over and plugging my nose but it worked.

Diving is a passion of mine. Enjoy!

Uzzah

Stealth

Having some stress on your first dive is normal. Do all of your safety checks and just try and relax and you will do fine.

Make sure you are properly weighted.

Trying to use your arms to swim once down is a common mistake and will use up more air. Keep your arms to your side and use your legs to move.

When I got certified for open water last year, we had to dive in a lake with water temp 52 degrees F. Dealing with the cold water temp was the hardest part of the test.

Always dive with a buddy, is the best tip I can offer.

I got certified for Nitrox air two months ago, only one local dive so far using it, and scheduled for the advanced dive class the end of this month. After my first few dives in the ocean I realized that is is very beneficial to know compass navigation.

Good luck and Let us know how it went..

freedomlover

hey NIC -

I remember my open dive. My instructor was a complete yo-yo. He strapped my tank on wrong so I couldn't go underwater. Then he just yelled at how I should submerge. It finally took my friend and I to figure out it was on wrong, swim back to the boat, get it straight and then I rejoined. Not a good way to start the dive.....

I was nervous as hell but I got through it. I too, WANTED to panic when you take your mask off and have to put it back on underwater. I found closing my eyes, and taking some nice deep breaths helped, and then slowly remove your mask at your pace. Then I kept my eyes closed so I could concentrate and took some breaths through my regulator and then replaced and cleared my mask fine.

After we were done with all the *test* stuff we got to dive and just have fun.....THAT WAS AWESOME! Saw eels, sharks, sea turtles, tons of fish.....it was great.

you'll do fine, just relax and breath. You have to fight your own brain telling you " YOU IDIOT, YOU CAN'T BREATHE UNDERWATER!!!!!" LOL!

let us know how it goes.....

FreeFromWTBS

Stay relaxed and remember everything you will be doing, you have already done in the pool. People have problems because they panic. You have an instructor with you with a safe second. Even if you went under water, freak out and threw off all your gear, the instructure would hand you his regulator and you would be fine so stay relaxed, enjoy the view and have a great time. I did my certs in the ocean and even with the new introduction of current, I did just fine. I grew up on the beach and the majority of accidents can be traced back to stupidity. Lack of proper gear, no buddy, no flag etc.

Always dive with a buddy and if you are doing a shore ocean dive make sure you are with someone that is used to dealing with currents, tides, and navigating.

Diving is the most peaceful experience you can have. I love being under the water.

MegaDude

I'm a diver and read a lot about diving safety.

Make sure your buddy knows the "I need your air" sign.

Make sure your air on your tank is turned on before you go into the water. It's a bit obvious but you'd be surprised that experienced divers have drowned because they were too excited to do a check before they backflipped off the boat.

Then just breathe normally and consciously tell yourself to relax and have a good time. Go at your own pace, and enjoy one of the greatest experiences in nature.

My sister was so nervous when she tried it at first that she was almost phobic. But then she got comfortable and the next thing I knew she was comfortably diving at 100 feet flying in the current over a 3000 foot dropoff in Cozumel, Mexico. I'm sure you'll do just fine.

nicolaou

Thanks for the reassurance and advice guys. I'm not too worried about the mask removal or reg' free-flow breathing, I'm quite comfortable underwater. It's just that I have the grace of an asthmatic gorilla.

I'm struggling to nail the fin pivot. I've got one more pool session on Friday night so I guess I'll just practise what I need to and hope like hell.

mkr32208

Always dive with a buddy, is the best tip I can offer.

I say exactly the opposite! Do some dived get comfortable get everything redundant then dive alone! Even with a buddy DIVE ALONE! If you have a problem you go to your back up and surface! Statistics show that diving with a buddy is much more dangerous than diving alone! Like I said I like to dive with friends but we all understand we are each an island!

As to the class relax take a few deep breaths most people find the mask off part to be the hardest my advice is hold your nose! Take a few extra breaths blow out through your nose then pinch so air goes out but no water comes in! Also just my opinion but for beginners a purge valve mask makes clearing a breeze! I still have one or two around and use them as primaries! With a purge you lean FORWARD to clear so that the last little bit of water in the mask doesnt go straight up your nose!

freedomlover

oh yeah, forgot about fin pivot.

I never got that one down really. the instructor could never get my weight quite right and so I never was really balanced during the fin pivot. I made a very determined effort and it wasn't graceful at all, but he let me pass.

have fun....

Scuba Diving - advice please.

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